The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We are highlighting the ways in which our students impact their communities through their education. "After seeing suicide numbers on the rise in my community, I asked myself what I was doing to help curb this hideous trend. I was coaching high school baseball but knew I could do more to make an impact. After aerospace machining for a career for most of my life, I decided to enroll at WGU at the age of 38, following some big life changes. I share custody of my two young children and needed to work two jobs just to make ends meet. After my first term at WGU pursuing my BAELED, I knew I had made the right choice in pursuing my teaching dream and switched jobs from machining to working as an SEL Paraeducator at a local elementary school. These moves I've made later in life are proving to be all the right choices, with so many opportunities to help the youth in my community in very impactful ways, not just for them but for myself as well as my heart feels fuller. I am proud to have made such shifts in my life focus and look forward to growing youth in a positive manner with world changing attitudes and outlooks on life. WGU has made this possible for me, and I'm currently continuing my education with them in pursuit of my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction." - Thomas P. Thank you Thomas for your inspiring work lifting others! And remember, if you need help there is always someone you can reach out to. #WGUGrad #MentalHealthAwareness (fb)

How can you practice mindfulness in the middle of your everyday chaos? Detria Moore, instructor at WGU, will present “Mindfulness for Today’s Busy Women” in the next segment of our B4 Women in Tech webinar series. Join us May 22 at 5 pm MT to talk through real-life strategies, try a few short mindfulness exercises, and create a plan that works for your life! Register at https://www.wgu.edu/lp/webinar/b4-women-tech-leadership.html #WGU #Mindfulness #WomenInTech #BuildingBridges #BreakingBarriers (fb)